


Aftermath

by SerenityJay



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Post Beacon, This is just gonna be sad, the girls from RWBY are only mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-30 13:10:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19853860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerenityJay/pseuds/SerenityJay
Summary: Nora and Ren thought they'd lost everything they could before they learned to fight the Grimm.Beacon changed that.Events after the fall of beacon told from Nora's POV.





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my own interpretation of what I think would be Nora's perspective. 
> 
> I may end up writing more eventually, but for now, enjoy some angst

"We need to evacuate." One sentence had Nora's heart plummeting into her stomach, looking at Professor Port in horror.

"But-"

"I know you are worried about Mr Arc and Miss Nykos, but we cannot risk staying here, especially with yourself and others wounded."

"We're not going!" Nora burst out, barely contained frustration morphing into fury as she jerked back from the teacher, whose expression was mournful as he carefully stepped around Ren, stock still on the ground.

"Miss Valkyrie-"

"NO!"

"Nora." Port's tone was firm, not unkind, but left no room for protest. "I cannot leave you here, let alone Ren. The two of you are injured, the rest of the staff are out searching still-"

"But Jaune and Pyrrha-!"

"You aren't the only ones missing teammates right now Nora." Those words, as softly spoken as they were, hit hard as Nora reeled back. "Everyone is scared, but you being here will do nothing to help. You're too hurt to fight and if anything you are a hindrance right now." With that Nora felt herself deflate, looking toward the ship where Sun was helping the crew get injured students on board, Blake and the unconscious Yang among them, and the soldiers looking scared and concerned as the howls and roars of Grimm in the distance echoed back to the docks. "Miss Valkyrie." Nora looked back to Port, who knelt in front of her. "I can't force you to leave, but I cannot leave you and your partner here. As soon as we get word on your teammates I will send them to you, but I need you to leave, get medical attention for yourself and Ren." Nora looked at her partner then, meeting gazes for just a moment, and then back to their teacher. 

"Ok." It hurt to say that, it hurt to abandon her teammates to the falling city, but she couldn't help, and Ruby and Weiss were going to help. "Ok, we'll go."

"Nora?" Ren spoke then, sounding hurt, and not just physically. 

"He's right." Was all she said before cautiously pushing herself upright. "Besides, we promised Ruby and Weiss we'd watch over Blake and Yang. They'll find Jaune and Pyrrha for us, we owe them this much." It hurt almost as much to say that as it did to stand up, leaning heavily on Port's offered arm even as Sun hurried over.

"C'mon." He carefully hauled Ren to his feet, ignoring the despondent way Ren just went with it, and gestured for them to follow him. "Once we get you guys settled I'll keep an ear out, let you know when Ruby and Weiss get back." Nora met his gaze then, smiling.

"Thank you."

"You guys are my friends, and I made sure the rest of my team were safe. Helping is the least we can do." Sun informed her as they made their way to an open space on the ship, Port calling to the pilot that the last of the students was on board. As the door closed behind them Nora settled close to Ren's side, pressing close to offer and take what support they could provide one another. This wasn't like the last time, not like Kuroyuri, they had been certain of what was happening then, this was different. These Grimm had been brought here, intentionally. This was the work of people, not some unquantifiable dark force that Nora only understood enough to make sure she could kill it effectively. The chaos that had befallen Beacon was one that she couldn't understand, even with all they'd been through in the last year, even understanding some of what they'd heard about the White Fang, this was unknowable. She found her eyes seeking Blake, who now sat, staring at Yang with horror and guilt in her eyes, and wondered what was going through the silent bladeswoman's mind. She knew the Fang better than any of them, likely knew some of the people who had helped launch the assault. The other students huddled in pairs or groups, trying to gain some support and cling to something solid. Nora looked back to Ren then, pressing in closer when she saw the faraway look in his eyes. After a moment his eyes rose from the floor, looking at her finally before he spoke, voice hoarse.

"We left them."

"They'll catch up."

"You don't know that." And he was right. No one knew, not Nora, not Sun, not Professor Port, likely not even the friends they'd left behind in the city to find their own way back.

"I know." The words were like shards of glass in her throat, an admission that she couldn't believe she would make, but she knew that sugarcoating it would only hurt more, especially if... "I don't know, but I trust them." She held Ren's gaze, refusing to waver, she needed to keep her faith in her friends, in her teammates, if not for her then for them, because if she gave up on them, how were they supposed to come back to her. Ren nodded then, eyes clearer than before, and she knew he understood. He was too smart to believe without proof and it hurt to hope, but he was going to try, at least for her. They stayed silent, pressed together, for a few more moments, until Sun came to check on them, glancing at Blake and Yang often but giving the girls their space.

The silence on the ship was broken as it finally docked in the safe zone in Vale, the doors opening to allow paramedics to find the students worst off and usher them off, the rest of the frightened kids looked to Port for guidance. After a moment to assess the space he stood firm at the entrance and guided students of all academies and ages into safe places to wait for medical attention or news. Sun and Blake vanished after only a moment, one following her teammate the other following her, and left Nora and Ren to their silence. A pair of students Nora faintly recognized came to give them a hand when they saw them struggling, a blonde girl who Nora remembered holding her own against Yang silently offered her strength for Nora while her dark haired teammate spoke quietly to Ren, gently pulling him to his feet when he nodded. Seeing her partner rise Nora took the blonde's hand and they joined the two's teammates at the entrance, the six of them limping to a less crowded safe house and finding a quiet corner to rest in. Nora noting the green streak of movement that denoted Dr. Oobleck's presence, checking in on students, aiding medical services in finding the students most in need. He stopped at the entrance for a few moments when he saw Port, the two talking and giving one another faint, strained, smiles before going back to their separate duties. Things got a little more vague feeling then, the faint murmur of students talking and movement of medics coming in and out of the shelter giving a soft background as Nora leaned against Ren's side, eyes on the door as she waited for Port, Sun, or one of her teammates to appear with news. 

Time felt like it stretched on forever, Nora thought she saw Blake pass the entrance to the shelter once in the wait, followed by Sun stopping to ask one of the guards something before running off again, Dr. Oobleck stopped to check on them after a short time, assuring the students that he would send the medics to check up on them soon enough. He followed through, soon a group of medics were circulating around the shelter, bandaging wounds and checking students. The kind young man who looked them over winced at their injuries and talked softly, trying his best to not startle any of the young fighters, frowning a little when Ren still flinched when the medic tried to get his attention. Nora thought she saw a flash of white on the horizon, drawing the attention of one of the staff members in view and sending the adults into a flurry of movement. As the time dragged on, Nora found herself getting antsier and antsier, not noticing her own tension until she felt Ren's hand on hers and looked to him to find him staring at the entrance.

When she followed his gaze she spotted a frenzy of movement, ears just faintly catching panicked voices both familiar and not, until she spotted Weiss' familiar figure standing forlornly at the entrance, staring towards the urgent care buildings, as much of a relief it was to see her, and a concern to see her without Ruby, it was the figure just behind her that had their focus.

Ren lurching to his feet, nearly toppling forward in his eagerness to move, startled Nora from her stupor. Thankfully she didn't need to help Ren up on her own very long, as Jaune reached them before Ren could get more than a few feet.

"You're ok." Ren's voice was nearly a whisper as he clung to Jaune's shoulder, the haggard looking blond gripping them back just as tightly. "You're ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok." Jaune's response was nearly as soft, looking between the pair, taking in bandages, torn armor and clothing, the wobbly way they stood, and reached out to embrace them both, the trio slowly sitting on the ground and just holding tight to the knowledge that they were safe and together.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune shook his head, tightening his hold.

"I don't know. She went up the tower." He pulled back, looking between them but keeping a hold on them both.

"The tower?"

"The girl, the one on the microphone, she... I think she killed Ozpin, and Pyrrha... she wouldn't let me..." The tears that had been gathering in his eyes finally started to fall and it was all Nora could do to hold on to him as he started to sob. "She put me in a locker and sent me away, Nora I think she knew!" He started sobbing harder then, drawing the eyes of other students, classmates and foreigners alike, and Nora just drew her boys in tighter, the gravity of it all starting to hit as Jaune struggled to gather his breath, to tell them what they hoped wasn't true.

"Ruby went after her, Weiss said. But then everything went crazy, there was a flash of light, and then the teachers found us and... I don't know. Weiss doesn't either." It was all Nora could do in that moment to pull Jaune to her, putting him between her and the still silent Ren. 

Whatever happened, they had each other. And that would have to be enough. 


End file.
